Quillfang: A Tail of Life
by Quillfang
Summary: Quillkit is the newest kit in TreeClan's nursery, and he can't wait for a chance to prove himself as the best But two other cats come along, and his life is changed, but for better, or for worse?
1. Allegiances

**TreeClan**

Leader

Snowstar- Big white tabby tom

Deputy

Blazefire- Ginger she-cat with blue eyes

Medicine Cat

Lightfang- Light orange tom with long claws

**Apprentice**-Junipertail

Warriors

Clawface- Scarred blue-gray tom

Blackfang- Black tom

Stormfly- Dark gray tom

Firetail- Dark ginger tom

**Apprentice: **Ebonypaw

Petalrain- Light gray she-cat

Redflower- Reddish tortoiseshell

**Apprentice: **Hawkpaw

Russettail- Ginger tabby tom

Briarfur- Brown she-cat

Nightclaw- Smokey gray she-cat

Cinderclaw- Light gray tabby tom

Hailtooth- White tom with gray flecks

**Apprentice: **Oakpaw

Brambleface- Dark gray she-cat

Puddlewind- Brown tortoiseshell

Heatherstripe- Orange she-cat with a pinkish nose

Wildfire- Brown tabby she-cat with color-changing eyes

Apprentices

Oakpaw- Cream colored with darker cream spots on his flanks

Hawkpaw- Light brown tabby tom with green eyes

Ebonypaw- Dark brown tom with amber eyes

Queens

Dewflower- Light brown tortoiseshell she-cat with deep blue eyes (mother of Stormfly's kits, Quillkit and Pinekit)

Blossemcloud- Dark tabby she-cat (Pregnant with Cinderclaw's kits)

Shinewhisker- Bright tabby (Pregnant with Russettail's kits)

Elders

Moontail- Silvery tortoiseshell

Dappleface- White she-cat with gray dapples

Brokenpelt- Brown tabby tom with a broken paw

* * *

**LakeClan**

Leader

Rapidstar- Silver tom with gray eyes

Deputy

Darkwind- Black tom with hazel eyes

Medicine Cat

Fogtree- Pale gray with a white ring around her tail, a white stripe down her back, and green eyes

Warriors

Fishtail- Gray tabby tom

Ripplefur- Brown she-cat with amber eyes

Splashclaw- Dark gray tortoiseshell

Bluewing- Blue-gray she-cat

Berryeye- Red tabby with a missing eye

**Apprentice: **Firepaw

Blackflame- Black-and-white tom with bright yellow eyes

Duckface- Dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Dustpetal- Dusky brown she-cat

**Apprentice: **Cloverpaw

Nightfang- Black tom

Rosepool- Rose-ginger with creamy white swirls and watery blue eyes

Apprentices

Firepaw- Handsome dark ginger tom with gorgeous amber eyes and tabby stripes

Cloverpaw- Creamy furred she-cat with green eyes

Queens

Fallingfur- Black-and-white tabby

Elders

Shadetail- Black tom

Salmonsplash- Dark gray she-cat

Otterpelt- Ginger tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

* * *

**CaveClan**

Leader

Stonestar- Black tom

Deputy

Brightwhisper- Light gray she-cat

Medicine Cat

Hollytail- Black she-cat with white paws and tail tip

**Apprentice:** Dawnpaw

Warriors

Whitebramble- White she-cat with brown flecks

Squirreltail- Ginger she-cat

Graytree- Gray tabby

Goldenshade- Golden tortoiseshell

Spiderfly- Brown tom with a gray underbelly

Flowerpetal- Speckled tortoiseshell

Tawnyfall- Tawny-colored tom

**Apprentice:** Mosspaw

Brackentooth- Golden-brown tom

Ashyclaw- Gray she-cat

**Apprentice:** Timerpaw

Thunderstripe- Dark gray tabby

Honeylight- Light ginger she-cat

Snowbird- Pure white she-cat

**Apprentice:** Flamepaw

Apprentices

Mosspaw- Brown and black she-cat with amber eyes

Timerpaw- Dark brown tom with yellow-green eyes

Flamepaw- Flaming ginger tom with sparkling amber eyes

Queens

Appleshine- Ginger tortoiseshell (Mother of Brackentooth's kit, Runningkit)

Riverdark- Black she-cat

Elders

Silverclaw- Silver tom

* * *

**FieldClan**

Leader

Tussockstar- Dark brown tabby tom

Deputy

Rowantail- Gray tortoiseshell

**Apprentice:** Flightpaw

Medicine Cat

Mistyfire- Black and ginger she-cat with sapphire blue

Warriors

Dawnpelt- Creamy tortoiseshell

Grayfeather- Gray tom

**Apprentice: **Darkpaw

Lightclaw- White tabby she-cat

Grassflight- Brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Apprentice:** Yellowpaw

Ryetail- Light gray tom

Boulderwhisker- Dark gray she-cat

Longwing- Brown she-cat with blue eyes and a torn ear

Branchtail- Light brown she-cat

Apprentices

Flightpaw- Ginger tabby tom with green eyes

Yellowpaw- Creamy furred tom with yellow eyes

Darkpaw- Dark gray tom with a jet black paw with amber eyes

Queens

Chasetail- Golden mottled she-cat with amber eyes

Smokefur- Gray tortoiseshell she-cat

Elders 

Flowertail- Blind tabby she-cat

Smudgeclaw- Black and gray tom with blue eyes

* * *

Cats Outside of the Clans  


Brawl- Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes and a missing eye

Sadie- Light gray she-cat with warm green eyes

Shadow- Huge black tom

Fox- Dark ginger she-cat with amber eyes and black tail tip

Badger- Black-and-white she-cat


	2. Chapter 1

**Ok, Quilly AGAIN! :D New story. Not much to say for this intro, just this is based on my character Quillfang from Silent's Screams's forum, that I have the link for in my profile. So, anyway, Crowfeather's Choice and The Lost Prophecy WILL be updated later this week! :D So here we go! Oh, yeah, THIS Quillfang isn't in any way related to Quillpaw from Lost Prophecy...so, yeah, ENJOY!**

**-Quilly**

**Chapter One**

Quillkit scrambled to his paws as the mossball sailed through the air towards him. He jumped into the air with his paws outstretched, tiny claws unsheathed to grab it. The ball landed in his paws and he tossed it back to his tail, balancing it then flinging the ball towards Pinekit. His sister jumped up to catch it in her paws, then shot it back at him. He batted it back with his paws and it flew over Pinekit's head and across a line that had been etched into the ground, signalling a goal.

"I win!" Quillkit squealed with delight, bouncing up to Pinekit. His sister's ginger fur flashed in the sunlight.

"I'll get you next time," she promised, friendliness gleaming in her eyes. He purred as they trotted back to the nursery.

Their mother, Dewflower, was sharing a thrush with Blossomcloud, another queen. Her belly was round with kittens, and Quillkit couldn't wait for more kits to play with. "Hi, momma!" Pinekit squeaked. The queen turned to her kittens and she purred.

"How are you?" she asked, curling them in her tail and licked they're foreheads. Quillkit purred with content as he snuggled into Dewflower's belly.

"We're good," Pinekit yawned, licking her paws. "Quillkit won out mossball game." Dewflower blinked lovingly. "You'll make great warriors," she murmured. Quillkit closed his eyes. _I'm glad Dewflower's my mother, _he thought to himself as he sank into a deep sleep.

* * *

Quillkit trotted out of the nursery with Pinekit at his side. It was three moons later, and the new kitten, Sagekit, had been born two days earlier. She followed them more slowly, her dark fur fluffed up and her sage eyes were wide. "Come on, Sagekit! it's great outside the boring old nursery!" Pinekit coaxed as the little kit glanced at the clearing with awe. "But everything is so _big!_" she squeaked. Quillkit sighed. "It's your own Clan," he meowed. "No one will hurt you!"

"It's not that!" Sagekit snapped. "This is my first time out!" Pinekit glanced at her brother and they both rolled their eyes as they led her to the apprentice's den. "Come on, lets go and meet Ebonypaw!" Quillkit suggested. "He tells the best stories." Sagekit frowned, but followed.

"Fine," she mumbled as the trotted along. They reached the den and he sniffed the air for Ebonypaw. Oakheart and Hawkstorm, the two newest warriors, were sitting by the fresh-kill pile sharing a vole. Oakheart waved his tail in greeting. Quillkit nodded. "Hi, Oakheart! Have you seen Ebonypaw?" he asked. Hawkstorm glanced at them. "He just left to do his assessment," he meowed apologetically. "He'll be back around sunhigh." Pinekit frowned.

"So what else are we going to do?" she asked as the padded away from the warriors.

"Perhaps we can go to the elders den," Sagekit offered. "Blossomcloud says they love to see new kits." Quillkit shrugged. "Sure," he mewed, and changed his path towards the elders den.

They reached the elder's den, a bush near the TallOak, the meeting place for the Clan. Moontail and Brokenpelt were basking in the sun outside. When they caught sighed of the kit's, Brokenpelt purred. "Ah, Sagekit, isn't it?" he asked, shifting his position. The dark she-cat nodded.

"It's my first time out," she mewed shyly. Moontail purred.

"It's always good to see new kittens. How are your guides treating you?" she asked, casting glances at Quillkit and Pinekit.

"Their good," Sagekit replied and glanced at them.

"I want to show her the warriors den!" Pinekit mewed, digging her tiny claws into the ground. They had recently sneaked into the warriors den and hid a thistle in one of the nests. They had received a stern lecture, but planned more, anyway. Brokenpaw glanced at them. "More thistles, eh?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I hear Blackfang was _very _please with that."

Moontail gave her denmate a sharp glare. "Don't encourage them!" Brokenpelt dipped his head. Quillkit rolled his eyes, but purred all the same at the elders. "Come on, Sagekit, lets go, unless you want to stay," Pinekit nudged the smaller kit.

"Can I stay and talk to the elders?" Sagekit asked sheepishly. Pinekit glanced at Quillkit, then nodded.

"Ok, but if you want us, we'll be at the warriors den!" Pinekit told her, then scampered off. Quillkit followed his sister towards the den.

* * *

That evening, Quillkit sat at Dewflower's belly, his eyelids drooping. They had ran all around camp and bothered more cats that he could count.

Pinekit wriggled next to him. She wasn't as tired as him, and she kept chattering like a starling about their adventures that day.

"Can you please stop talking?" Quillkit sighed with exasperation. "I want to sleep!" Pinekit scowled.

"But I don't want to sleep!" she complained. Dewflower purred. "You need your rest, Pinekit. You have a big day tomorrow!" _What could she mean? _Quillkit wondered, but the thought was lost in sleep.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"From now on, Quillkit, you will be known as Quillpaw," Snowstar announced. "Your mentor will be Redflower. I hope she will pass on all her skills and strength onto this apprentice."

Quillpaw gulped as he padded to touch noses with his new mentor. Redflower was one of the most senior warriors, and had a reputation for her strict training. The ginger she-cat stepped forward to touch noses with him. "We'll go and explore the territory as soon as the ceremony is over," she murmured. Quillpaw's eyes lit up. "Really?" he asked, stopping himself from bouncing up and down. Redflower nodded, but her reply was drowned out by the sudden wave of cheering from the Clan.

"Pinepaw! Quillpaw! Pinepaw! Quillpaw!"

Quillpaw glanced at his sister and saw she was just as excited. He grinned as the cheering died down and the Clan began to return to their regular duties. _I can't believe it!_ he purred to himself. A tail tip rested on his shoulder and he looked up to see his mentor leading him towards the entrance of camp. "Come on, we're wasting time dawdling," she said briskly. "We've got a lot of ground to cover." Quillpaw nodded and bounded out of camp.

He gasped as the sharp scents of the forest hit his nostrils and he stopped and gasped. The huge oak trees loomed over him, and birdsong whistled softly through the leaves. He smelled the warm smells of mice in the brambles and the scent of herbs growing.

"It's amazing!" he breathed at Redflower came up next to him.

"Yes it is," she agreed. "but we've got more to see. Come on, lets go."

She led him into the forest, explaining the different paths through the woods and telling him about the different hunting methods that TreeClan cats used. Quillpaw nodded and tried to remember everything she told him. _There's so much to learn to become a warrior! _he thought as they reached large clearing.

"This is the Hunting Grove," Redflower meowed. "It's the best place for voles and birds. Can you scent anything?"

Quillpaw raided his muzzle into the air to scent. "I smell...mouse," he reported. "And thrush, and..." he glanced at Redflower, confused. "What is that?" he asked. She frowned. "It's dog," she explained. His hackles raised. "Dog?" he growled. Redflower huffed with amusement. "It's stale. And anyway, twolegs sometimes bring them into the forest. I don't know why, but twolegs are mousebrained."

Quillpaw nodded. "Alright," he meowed. "What's next?"

"The borders," Redflower replied. "We'll head to LakeClan first because they're closer." The apprentice nodded, and they trotted forward.

They reached the border and Quillpaw took a whiff of the scent. He nearly gagged as the scent his his mouth. "Ew!" he exclaimed. Redflower wrinkled her nose and nodded. "They eat too much fish, in my opinion, and it shows." she rolled her eyes. "LakeClan cats are plump, but don't mess with them. Rapidstar is a good leader, but he defends his borders life a badger defends her kits." Quillpaw nodded, then the scent of LakeClan hit him like a blast. He whirled around and saw a patrol of three cats stalking towards them. In the lead was a large black cat with unfriendly hazel eyes. Behind him where two others, a small ginger tom and a gray she-cat. The leader bared his teeth.

"What are you doing here, Redflower," he growled, unsheathing his claws and narrowing his eyes. The other two cats behind him bristled. Quillpaw glared at the tom and tried to look unafraid. _What if they attack us? _

Redflower shared Quillpaw's glare. "Showing my apprentice the borders," she shot back. "We aren't doing anything wrong, Darkwind."

Darkwind hissed. "You're awfully close to the border." This time, Quillpaw spoke up.

"So are you!" he snapped, his fur fluffed up. The gray she-cat winced, and the ginger tom's eyes widened. Quillpaw gulped. _Is that a mistake? _he thought, but didn't back down, his eyes flaring at Darkwind. Redflower gave her apprentice a sharp glance. "Let's move on," she meowed through clenched teeth. Without waiting for a reply, she turned around and stalked away. Darkwing snorted with a glint of hostility in his eyes, but said nothing more.

Quillpaw raced into the bracken to catch up with his mentor. "Who was that cat?" he panted, looking up at the ginger warrior. She bristled, then sighed.

"That was Darkwind. He's the LakeClan deputy, and the most dangerous cat in the forest," she mewed. "What you did was brave but foolish. Promise me you will _never _get tangled up with him?"

Quillpaw nodded sincerely. "I promise."

* * *

Quillpaw sank into his nest after he came back to camp. The tour had tired him out, and they had stopped to hunt along the way. He was quite pleased with his catch, a plump starling and a vole. He had taken it to the elders, and Brokenpelt had feasted on it with his denmates. Redflower had put in a good word about him to Snowstar, and he was going to the gathering the next night. He purred at the thought of meeting the other Clans. They had met the CaveClan medicine cat out looking for herbs, and she had seemed nice enough.

Pinepaw barged into the den, panting. Excitement gleamed in her eyes and she glanced at Quillpaw. "I had the best day!" she purred. "Firetail took me everywhere and showed me some fighting moves," she went on. Quillpaw smiled. "I caught something that the elders loved," he boasted. Pinepaw snorted. "Did Moontail like it? I wouldn't be surprised if she complained about it." Quillpaw opened his jaws to reply, but was drowned out by a yowl. Both apprentices shot to their paws and left the den.

He gaped. The camp was filled with fighting cats, and the scent of LakeClan filled his nose.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Quillpaw and Pinepaw leaped into the fray, both landing on a big white tom's back. The tom snarled and tried to fling the apprentices off, but the firmly planted their claws in his back. "Pinepaw!" Quillpaw shouted over the screeches of the battle. "Get under his belly!" Pinepaw nodded and rolled off his back and under him, raking her long claws down the tom's belly. He howled and fell to the ground. Quillpaw gasped as he dropped off the warriors back and looked for Pinepaw.

As he swung his head to look for his sister, a brown she-cat raced towards him with her claws unsheathed. _I don't know any battle moves! _He thought frantically as the she-cat loomed over him, teeth bared. He fluffed up his fur in an attempt to look fierce; the she-cat only sneered. "You'll have to do more to scare me," she growled as she raised her claws to strike. Quillpaw braced himself for the blow, but it never came. Dewflower rammed into the she-cat, yowling with fury. She clawed at her flank, and the LakeClan cat slipped away from her grasp and out of camp. Quillpaw nodded his thanks, then looked around for a cat his size. He finally spotted two LakeClan apprentice's attacking Hawkstorm. With a yowl of defiance, he raced over to help his Clanmate.

One of the apprentices was the tom he had seen when he was touring the territory. The other was a creamy she-cat he'd never seen. They're strikes were matching and knocking Hawkstorm back towards the camp walls. Quillpaw hissed and attacked the she-cat, pinning her down. He bared his teeth and raked his claws over her muzzle, pleased to hear a yowl of pain as she wriggled free and out of camp, leaving a trail of blood.

The ginger tom whirled around to face him. "No one takes out Cloverpaw like that!" he spat, rearing up on his hind paws. Quillpaw glanced at Hawkstorm, who was still recovering from his fight. With a flick of his tail, Quillpaw signaled for the warrior to attack their opponent. Hawkstorm nodded and barreled at the apprentice. He writhed under the wieght of the warrior, then Quillpaw made his move. He shredded his ears, then stepped back as the apprentice followed Cloverpaw away from camp, hissing.

Quillpaw looked around. There were a few minor battles raging around the camp, but most of the LakeClan cats had gone. He turned to see Darkwind standing in front of then camp entrance, his fur ragged and panting. Snowstar stood bristling in front of the LakeClan deputy, his teeth bared.  
"This attack was uncalled for, Darkwind!" the huge white tom spat. The black tom sneered. "Your warriors have been crossing our borders!"

Quillpaw bristled. _We shouldn't have been so close to there! _He thought, then shook it away, angry. _He has no right to do this! We were on out own side of the scent line! _

He watched as Snowstar gave Darkwind's right ear a slash. With a hiss at the TreeClan leader, the black tom whirled around and speed out of camp. Quillpaw sighed with relief as the battle ended. He began to flop down on the ground, but suddenly remembered Pinepaw. He shot to his paws and glanced wildly around the clearing. "Pinepaw!" he called fearfully. "Pinepaw, where are you?"

Quillpaw felt a tail-tip rest on his shoulder, and he looked up into the sad green eyes of Wildfire. The warrior gazed down at him. "Quillpaw, come with me," she meowed, leading him towards the apprentice's den. "Why?" he asked, but didn't resist as they trudged through the bloodied clearing. She didn't answer him as they approached the den, which had remained mostly intact from the battle.

Wildfire motioned with her tail a lump of ginger-brown fur laying motionless on the ground, blood dripping from it's chest. Realization hit him like a wave. He's eyes widened. "No, no, no!" he gasped, backing away. "She can't be dead! My sister _can't _be dead!"


	5. Chapter 4

**Ok, that last chapter was SAD. And yes, Pinepaw is dead. Same kinda thing happened to Crowfeather, don't you notice? Well, anyway, here's the next chapter! **

**-Quilly**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Quillpaw leaped at the mouse, it's squeal ringing in his ears as his claws ripped through it's neck. He grunted as he shook the blood from his claws, muttering. It had been a moon since LakeClan had attacked, and Pinepaw's death was still fresh in his mind.

"That was a sloppy kill."

Redflower's voice sounded behind him, and he turned around to face his mentor. "I got it, so what does it matter?" he snapped, sheathing his claws.

"What cat is going to eat that? Quillpaw, you need to show more respect for your prey!" Redflower sighed. "Ever since Pinepaw died, you've been grumpy and mean to every one. Your catches are bad, and your battle moves are lazy," she went on.

"Well, sorry, but my sister just _died_, if you hadn't noticed! I think I have the right to be angry!" he snarled. He knew back-talking would probably get him taking ticks off the elders instead of going to the Gathering the next day, but he didn't care.

"It's been a moon! The rest of the Clan, even your mother, have grieved and moved on, but you haven't. You can't let anything get in the way of your duties, Quillpaw! You're the next generation of TreeClan warriors, and you need to live up that! We're counting on you do do that, not sulk away all day," she hissed. He bristled.

"Maybe I can't live up to that right now! I just need time!" he huffed. Without waiting for a reply, he whirled around and stalked away into the bracken. His mind whirled. _Why did this have to happen? _he wondered miserably, racing through a bramble thicket, not paying attention to the stinging pain.  
He raced on, scaring the prey into their holes and sending birds chattering away.

He found himself at the edge of the territory, panting. Stinging wounds covered his pelt, and his eyes were heavy with exhaustion. Quillpaw looked up into the sky, seeing the first stars in Silverpelt beginning to rise above the treetops. _I've been gone that long? _he asked himself. He knew that Redflower would be angry, and Dewflower would be mad with worry. Still, he kept on gazing up at the stars. _I wonder if Pinepaw is up there, watching me. _He wondered if his sister was annoyed with him for running off like he did. "She would be," he muttered, purring a bit as he thought of her.

He sat there a while, just thinking and letting his mind wander. He was just about to get up, when a scent washed over his nose. _It's not another Clan, its...milk? _He looked around, trying to spot the source of the smell. He finally caught a sight of mottled ginger fur.

"Hey!" he meowed softly. "Dawnkit?"

Dawnkit was one of the new kits in the nursery, along with Lionkit and Longkit. She was the most outgoing of the litter, constantly getting her and her littermates into trouble.

"Y-yeah?" she asked, long fur fluffed up. "Quillpaw? Where am I?" the kitten wondered, her big green eyes gazing up at him. He blinked, her eyes startling him. _They're so beautiful..._ he thought, then shook it away. "At the edge of the territory," he explained, shaking his pelt.

"Really?" Dawnkit purred. "I explored that far! Lionkit and Longkit are going to be so jealous! Can you take me back to camp?" Quillpaw nodded. "Let's go," he meowed, picking her up gently by the scruff and trotted back to camp.


	6. Chapter 5

Quillpaw slithered through the bracken, his ears perked and eyes alert. The scent of thrush flowed through his nose. He waggled his haunches, ready to corner the bird in a bramble thicket. After moons of training and hunting, he was ready to pass this assessment.

He saw the thrush's wings stiffen as his own scent came to it's beak.

_Mouse-dung, _he thought with a silent hiss. He leaped out from the bracken, his claws unsheathed as he raked it down the bird's throat. It fell limp onto the ground. With a satisfied grunt, he used his forepaws to cover the fresh-kill with leaves. The leaf-bare air was think with cold and the ground was hard, too hard to bury prey.

He moved on, his nose in the air to scent for more prey. He could only get a whiff of a small mouse somewhere in the dried foliage of the forest floor. He chose to go after it. He needed to catch as much prey as he could get before sunhigh. He saw it nibbling on a walnut, and his face twisted into a smirk. This mouse was plump and unaware of his presence. This would help him pass.

As he crouched down to pounce, another scent hot his nose.

Dawnpaw shot out of the bushes with a yowl and slashed her claws down through the mouse's flank. It let out a thin wail as it died. The young ginger she-cat purred as she picked up the prey, then realized Quillpaw was watching her with an irritated scowl.

"That was my mouse!" he snapped, his eyes flashing with anger. Dawnpaw blinked, confused.

"But I've been stalking for a while!" she protested.

"Sure you have," he growled. "I need that for my assessment!" Dawnpaw rolled her eyes.

"Fine," she muttered. "You take it. I can get another for Brokenpelt."

Quillpaw winced as he thought about it. He had a nice pile of prey himself, and could go without this piece of prey. "Sorry," he murmured, a bit ashamed for his snap. She shrugged. "It's fine," she assured him. "But I'd best get going now. Ebonypelt wants me back before sunhigh." Without waiting for reply, she scampered away.

He followed her with his gaze, finding himself missing her comforting presence. He didn't know why, but he wanted to be better friends with her.

Then he shook the thoughts away. Right now, he couldn't be distracted; this assessment was more important than anything.

Quillpaw padded into camp with prey laden in his jaws, quite pleased with his catch. After his encounter with Dawnpaw, he had caught a vole, two starlings, and a mouse. He dropped them on the fresh-kill pile and went to the apprentice den. Dawnpaw and Longpaw were sitting outside, stretching out in the sunlight.

"Hi, Quillpaw!" Dawnpaw purred as she caught sight of him. "How was it?"

Quillpaw flopped down and licked his paws. "Tiring," he told them. "But Redflower is talking to Snowstar about my warrior ceremony."

Longpaw's eyes were filled with envy and admiration. "We still have two more moons of training," she told him.

He nodded. "I want to rest," he told them. "I'll see you later?"

They both nodded. "We'll wake you for your ceremony," Dawnpaw told him, licking his ear.

That warmed him somehow, and he let out a small purr. "Alright," he mewed, standing up and padding into the den.


	7. Chapter 6

"Quillpaw, wake up! Wake up!"

Longpaw's mew cut into his sleep. He blinked his eyes open and saw three cats over him. Sagepaw, Dawnpaw, and Longpaw. "It's time for your ceremony!" Dawnpaw mewed excitedly.

He nodded slowly, then glanced at Sagepaw. Her dark fur was groomed neatly, and her eyes were glowing.

_It's her ceremony too? _He wondered, then nodded to himself. Sagepaw had passed her assessment at the same time as he had.

He got up and pushed through the wall of his den-mates with Sagepaw, his eyes glowing. The Clan had already gathered, their eyes never leaving the two apprentices.

Quillpaw raised his head to meet Snowstar The big white tom's eyes were warm.

It felt like moons as they padded to the base of the TallOak. He felt Sagepaw beside him shrink away from the Clan's eyes, but Quillpaw was confident. He felt...ready. He didn't know why, but he knew this was what he had been waiting for.

Snowstar began immediately. "I, Snowstar, leader of TreeClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn. Quillpaw waited for the words he knew would seal his loyalty to the Clan. Quillpaw, Sagepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Snowstar asked, his head raised high. "I do," they both said in unison, Sagepaw more nervous, and Quillpaw loud and ringing. Snowstar nodded knowingly "Then by the powers of ForestClan, I give you your warrior name. Quillpaw, from this moment you will be known as Quillfang. ForestClan honors your foresight and intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of TreeClan," the Clan leader declared. _Quillfang. _ The new warrior's name filled his mind, a purr escaping his throat. He barely heard Sagepaw's new name, Sageleaf, and then the Clan cheered. "Quillfang! Sageleaf! Quillfang! Sageleaf!" He heard Dawnpaw cheer his name the loudest, followed closely by Dewflower. He locked his eyes with his mother's. Dewflower's eyes were gleaming with pride, but he saw sadness in them, and he understood. Pinepaw should have been a warrior alongside him. Quillfang pulled his gaze away and held his head high as the cheering died away. "Remember," Snowstar told them. "You two will guard camp tonight as vigil." They both nodded, ready to serve in any way they could. 


End file.
